High winds shred Pontiac Silverdome roof... and it's OK

DETROIT - Wind and snow are shredding the roof at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, but owners of the empty stadium say it's no cause for concern.

The roof was deflated Jan. 3 and eventually will be replaced with a hard, permanent cover. Stadium events coordinator Alex Loewy says the extreme weather actually is helping to bring the roof down, something crews would have had to do anyway.

Loewy says the inflatable roof will be replaced with a hard roof by late summer. The building has been winterized, and no events have been scheduled until later this year so there is no concern about damage.

The 80,000-seat stadium opened in 1975 and was the home of the Detroit Lions until 2002. The Silverdome was sold for $583,000 in 2009.